Handbrake - Not had any success with mp4 quality

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alisam

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#193681 20-Mar-2016 12:07

I purchased a Synology DS216play and installed Plex.

All my DVD's are mkv.

My Samsung TV via the Plex App will play the mkv's. Windows 10 will not via Plex from the DS216play (I knew there were limitations in buying this NAS but budget rules OK).

I decided to experiment with mp4's.

Using Handbrake with Normal and High Profile, the quality played back via VLC is un-watchable.

I downloaded Aimersoft DVD Ripper and the quality looks good.

The issue is that web sites cite Aimersoft (and it associated companies) as (let's say) scam. But other sites, recommend it as No.1 or No. 2.

So the more I read, the more uncertain I am with a 'good' dvd ripper.

What I want to do is:

1) Copy DVD to computer hard-disc. As far as I can tell, I can simply use the Windows Copy function to do this. However, for a few DVD's I need to remove DRM.

2) Convert the DVD to MP4 (H.264,AAC) in high quality.

3) At a later date, convert the DVD to run on (say) my Nexus 7 (2012) and / or Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

A one stop software package would be ideal. However, looking at say Aimersoft, the number of products to purchase is overwhelming.

Finally, all my DVD's have been purchased from reputable web sites.

PC: HP ProBook 470G1 (Windows 10 Pro), Intel NUC7I5BNH (Windows 10 Home), Dell Inspiron 7591 2n1 (Windows 10 Pro)
Net: Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite-3, 3 x Grandstream GWN7610
Storage: Synology DS216play NAS, 2 x 6TB
Media: HDHomeRun Connect, 5 x Amazon FireTV, Echo, Dot, Spot, Ambi Climate
TV: 2 x Samsung H6400 55" LED TV, Panasonic TH-P50G10Z 50" Plasma TV (Great picture, no smarts, just old), DMR-PWT530GZ Blu-ray Recorder
Mobile: Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Huawei P10 Lite
Wearable: Gear S3 Frontier

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98 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#1516378 20-Mar-2016 12:22

There are a multitude of guides online for optimal Handbrake settings - have you given those a try instead of the presets? I would skip creating an image of the DVD, and just convert straight to video file.

If you're running Plex Media Server, and have Plex Pass, you can actually sync media to your mobile device at whatever bitrate you choose via the mobile app.

driller2000

791 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1516382 20-Mar-2016 12:33

depending on how much content you are thinking about re-encoding - a media streamer may be a less time consuming option....

littleheaven

2074 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1516384 20-Mar-2016 12:43

I've always found Handbrake to be excellent, but if I ever have issues my next choice is Mpeg Streamclip, which I have been using for many years. It's free and converts to a huge number of formats. You might need to install some additional codecs in order to take advantage of all of them. Try the k-lite codec pack, either the standard or full set. That should cover everything you'd need.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Currently using: Custom-built AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Desktop, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone XR, AppleTV4.

afe66

2392 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1516422 20-Mar-2016 14:22

Ive ripped all my dvd using handbrake ubuntu to .mp4 without any issues being served by plex server from synology 412+.

Watch on big tv with w8/w10 NUC and plex theatre.

Have you thought about using a raspberry pi running rasplex client. (Might only be stereo)

I did this for about a year using raspberry pi B and wifi keyboard or the android app on my phone.

UHD

656 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1516425 20-Mar-2016 14:38

What is the issue with Plex and Windows 10? If it works with your Samsung TV then I think the issue must be with your Windows 10 Plex configuration.

littleheaven

2074 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1516449 20-Mar-2016 15:45

UHD:

What is the issue with Plex and Windows 10? If it works with your Samsung TV then I think the issue must be with your Windows 10 Plex configuration.

Hmmm, thinking about it, I'm fairly sure I can stream MKV files to my little Win10 Minix Box. It's running Plex Home Theatre, and I am serving the files from my old Mac Pro upstairs. Perhaps it is simply a codec problem? Try downloading the k-lite pack and see if that makes any difference.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Currently using: Custom-built AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Desktop, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone XR, AppleTV4.

Rikkitic

Devastation by stupidity
12262 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1516458 20-Mar-2016 16:12

I have found Handbrake to be a little buggy. Any Video Converter by ANVSoft is my tool of choice. It is free, does the job without any nonsense, and only displays an easily closeable nag banner after it is finished. I haven't tried it with everything, but it seems to accept a wide range of file types and I have never had a problem with conversions to MP4 and MP3. It never hangs, never stutters, never has an issue of any kind and it is pretty fast, too. I haven't put the output quality to any kind of test, but it seems good to my eye and ear.

I don't think there is ever a bad time to talk about how absurd war is, how old men make decisions and young people die. - George Clooney

alisam

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1516504 20-Mar-2016 17:30

UHD:

What is the issue with Plex and Windows 10? If it works with your Samsung TV then I think the issue must be with your Windows 10 Plex configuration.

Plex is not actually installed on the PC.

From the PC I have a shortcut to: http://192.168.1.11:32400/web/index.html

(where 192.168.1.11 is the Synology NAS).

JimmyH

2674 posts

Uber Geek

#1516526 20-Mar-2016 17:55

I rip DVDs to the hard drive using Imgburn (for the ones off my DVD recorder), and used DVDFab when I ripped my purchased DVDs as Imgburn doesn't like DRM.

I then use Vidcoder to encode. It's a simple program that is essentially a front-end that uses the Handbrake encoding engine. I just set it to constant quality (either 18 or 19), crop to remove any black bars. Look at the preview window to make sure it looks OK, then encode.

You can queue up encodes, then press go and it will sit there and chug away while you have dinner etc.

Highly recommended.

UHD

656 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1516683 21-Mar-2016 00:46

alisam:

UHD:

What is the issue with Plex and Windows 10? If it works with your Samsung TV then I think the issue must be with your Windows 10 Plex configuration.

Plex is not actually installed on the PC.

From the PC I have a shortcut to: http://192.168.1.11:32400/web/index.html

(where 192.168.1.11 is the Synology NAS).

Install Plex Home Theatre on the Windows 10 PC and try playing videos through that. I am guessing video played through the web browser will be transcoded and that requires a lot of work from your NAS. Home Theatre should be able to direct play from your NAS which just requires file transfer CPU activity from the NAS.

CraigHumphrey

61 posts

Master Geek

#1516712 21-Mar-2016 09:15

If you're happy with your DVD -> MKV process, then have a look at XMedia Recode http://www.xmedia-recode.de/en/download.html

Because MKV and MP4 are generally both using H264, you can use XMedia Recode to convert from MKV to MP4, without it having to re-encode the video (or audio if you choose).

I find my Sony TV doesn't like (streamed) AC3 audio and is sketchy with MKVs. So I use XMedia Recode to convert MKVs to MP4 (with AAC audio).

mclean

463 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#1516729 21-Mar-2016 09:48

alisam: ....I decided to experiment with mp4's. Using Handbrake with Normal and High Profile, the quality played back via VLC is un-watchable.

I have done my whole collection to .mp4 using Handbrake and it has never missed. Just occasionally doesn't automatically find the English audio stream - it pays to check on the Audio tab that it has been correctly included before you rip. Played on VLC or anything else the quality looks the same as the original.

Maybe you are doing something different?

McLean

JonnyCam

570 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1516890 21-Mar-2016 13:18

Just did a quick check and my work windows machine plays mkv fine from plex, via the web player.

My server is at home, so I set remote quality to original. Do you have local set to something forcing it to transcode?

Plex may want to transcode if it's AC3 audio, but I see a setting under the web player to direct play ac3 too.

Dairyxox

1515 posts

Uber Geek

#1516895 21-Mar-2016 13:21

Yes handbrake is a very solid choice. Quality and compatibility is normally excellent. Might be worth checking what you're doing as suggested..

alisam

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1517320 22-Mar-2016 02:58

UHD:

alisam:

UHD:

What is the issue with Plex and Windows 10? If it works with your Samsung TV then I think the issue must be with your Windows 10 Plex configuration.

Plex is not actually installed on the PC.

From the PC I have a shortcut to: http://192.168.1.11:32400/web/index.html

(where 192.168.1.11 is the Synology NAS).

Install Plex Home Theatre on the Windows 10 PC and try playing videos through that. I am guessing video played through the web browser will be transcoded and that requires a lot of work from your NAS. Home Theatre should be able to direct play from your NAS which just requires file transfer CPU activity from the NAS.

Installed the latest version of Plex Media Server onto Windows 10. This version will play the mkv's on the NAS.

So accessing Plex via: http://192.168.1.11:32400/web/index.html (where 192.168.1.11 is the Synology NAS) wants to transcode, but I don't know if there is a setting to turn it off (cannot see anything obvious).

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